Daddy Issues»©

Chapter 8

John shuffles through his emotions sitting on his bed staring at his wall of posters and art pieces. Just like everyday now, he was silent, more than usual, lost in thought.
Clayton was attempting to light a cigarette in the corner as he watched his friend lose himself within his own mind. Not worried about the smell he inhaled and released the grey smoke from between his lips. It was the third week of this constant silence and even though Clayton enjoyed silence he hated that particular silence. It was about time he left to visit his own family, he had not needed to remind John of his family heartbreak and then Clayton there giving him an interpretation of a real broken family.

"John?" Cole called. "I'm going to visit my people for a while, I might be back depending on how this goes." John looked at him with the face of defeat and coldness. There was no emotion, just that familiar emptiness.

He looked at him for a long while before returning back to his wall. He almost said something, something personal, or cold. Maybe both. Those symbols and emblems of spiders, kept appearing for the third time that week. First it was the visions, of webs, sticking to New York's building. Flashes of red and blue swinging past the streets traffic. John did not know what they meant, it was frustrating how often and random these events occurred. The pain that came with them was a bonus deal. Every day dream about it he had, a migraine traveled with them.

After Clayton pulled on his boots and leather jacket he stopped in front of John who held a pillow pressed against his chest. His lips were chapped and dry. His skin cold and ashy. Clayton sighed and wiped the sweat from johns hairline.

"Don't stress yourself to death Pluto, talk to him. If you don't this will never end." With that Clayton left out the window with a feeling if being released, only in the back of his mind he did feel a burden. That maybe that talk will not go well.

John took his words and finnaly opened the door to his room finding Ned sitting on the couch with Mary Jane, MJ was quietly reading a newspaper while Ned watched the game with a glass of soda. Mary Jane smiled at him as he walked out the room with his tail between his legs. When John noticed Peter was not present the weight of the world was lifted off if his shoulders. He wiped away the sweat from his neck and returned a smile. Mary Jane dipped her head to the side, her fiery red locks tumbling over her shoulder and her earing swaying.

"Did you get in a fight at school, John what happens to you face?" She exclaimed.

John rubbed the bruise not he edge of his brow with a single finger very lightly. Remembering the night he was declared a disease by his father. "I fell on the stairs a few days ago, it's nothing."

"Come here let me see it."

John voice ran harsh, and emotionless as he told her no accompanied with a cold glare. He looked to his father Ned who looked back with doey eyes of dredd. "John?"

John narrowed his brows. "Where is Peter?"

Mary Jane pointed to the ceiling. "Upstairs" she said returning the cold tone.

John marched upstairs, headstrong trying his best poker face as he opened the bedroom door without knocking. He was on a warpath. Demanding answers. His mind focused on the future words to stumble from his mouth he had not cared to take his time walking through the door colliding into his currently disapproving father.

A little taken aback. Peter looked down on John who was attempting to look as tough as possible.

John took a step back, raising his chin high, his father towered over him raising a brow. John pushed one shoulder slightly forward. "We need to talk."

《◇》

The thin material rustled on Peters bed as he sat down listening to John, forcing a smile that was a facade of his worry on how this talk was going to go.

John stood there with his hands on his side's. With all the rehearsal of this moment John had heading to the room, he stood in front of us audience with nothing to say. He was panicking. He had a speech prepared for his father but all that slipped through his lips was.

"Why?"

"John, I am sorry for how i confronted you, I know why you are here and expectantly i dont want you to end up those so called heroes, or anyone around them." Peter explained. He brushed his fingers through his light brown hair. John could accept his answer. He didn't understand, how someone he expected so much from could disappoint him like that.

"I dont understand. I can help people, Dad. I can do things, most people cant and i can make a real change."

"Have you even tried to make a change? That school calls this house, everyday. Telling me that your grades are dropping, and you haven't been attending your classes. What difference can you make without knowledge john?"

John offered an insult under his breath, with a grimace of pain surging in his arms. "I was supposed to skip this year anyway, they offered and you told them no. We both know i could just fine without it, so do not give me shit. Peter!" John was infuriated with him. He could not even come to terms with calling him father.

"I understand your anger but you cant speak o me like that so-" John, still waited for the reason his father hated the side of him he could not change. "You are not even my dad! They are dead and you are just a stranger. Why cant you accept me for who i am? I dont bother you because you are gay! I'm a mutant, we are both different. You have to deal with the same things i do!" John exploded.

Peter stood up with fire in his eyes, and a bleeding memory in his mind. "At-least what i do in my home will not get people killed!"

"That is absurd because i hear about men and women losing there lives every day for loving who they wish! We are no different, you and I, at-least I take pride in who i am."

"You are 15, John! You dont know who you are."

"I am better than who you where!" John said finally putting the pieces together. "SPIDER-MAN!"